Electric drive systems with integrated bus bar and inter-housing barrier for work vehicles

Abstract

The present disclosure pertains to an electric drive system designed for a work vehicle. The system includes an electric machine and an inverter for providing power and controlling the vehicle's drive functions. A feature of this system is the integration of a bus bar, which electrically connects the electric machine's first electrical conductor to the inverter's second electrical conductor. This connection facilitates efficient power transmission across the system. Notably, the bus bar has ends that securely couple to the respective conductors housed within separate enclosures. An inter-housing barrier is situated between these enclosures and encloses a segment of the bus bar and is designed to offer a fluid-tight seal. This seal prevents any fluid transfer between the two enclosures.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electric drive system for a work vehicle, the electric drive system comprising:
 an electric machine of the electric drive system;   an inverter for providing power to the electric machine of the electric drive system;   a bus bar electrically coupling a first electrical conductor of the electric machine to a second electrical conductor of the inverter, wherein the bus bar has a first end coupled to the first electrical conductor and a second end coupled to the second electrical conductor, the first electrical conductor located within a first enclosure and the inverter located within a second enclosure; and   an inter-housing barrier positioned between the first enclosure and the second enclosure, wherein the inter-housing barrier surrounds a segment of the bus bar and is configured to provide a fluid-tight seal that prevents fluid transfer between the first and second enclosures.   
     
     
         2 . The electric drive system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first enclosure includes a first fluid and the second enclosure includes a second fluid, the first fluid and the second fluid being immiscible. 
     
     
         3 . The electric drive system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a liquid polymer that is injected between the inter-housing barrier and the bus bar. 
     
     
         4 . The electric drive system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a gasket that seals the electric machine and the inverter from environmental exposure and prevents fluid transfer between the first enclosure and the second enclosure. 
     
     
         5 . The electric drive system according to  claim 1 , wherein the inter-housing barrier includes a flange that abuts an aperture of the second enclosure and an engagement interface that is inserted into an aperture of the first enclosure. 
     
     
         6 . The electric drive system according to  claim 5 , further comprising a first enclosure gasket positioned between the engagement interface and the aperture of the first enclosure, and a second enclosure gasket interposed between the flange of the inter-housing barrier and the aperture of the second enclosure. 
     
     
         7 . The electric drive system according to  claim 6 , wherein the flange is configured to be secured to the first or second enclosure. 
     
     
         8 . The electric drive system according to  claim 1 , wherein the inter-housing barrier is a plug having a stop and a neck, wherein the neck is configured to be inserted into an aperture of either the first or second enclosure, and the stop is placed against the first or second enclosure. 
     
     
         9 . The electric drive system according to  claim 8 , further comprising a gasket disposed on the neck, the gasket preventing fluid transfer between the first and second  16  enclosures. 
     
     
         10 . A work vehicle having an electric drive system, the work vehicle comprising:
 an electric machine housed within a first enclosure containing a first fluid, the electric machine including first electrical conductors;   an inverter externally mounted relative to the electric machine and housed within a second enclosure containing a second fluid, the inverter including second electrical conductors; and   a bus bar assembly comprising:
 bus bars electrically coupling the first electrical conductors of the electric machine to the second electrical conductors of the inverter; and 
 inter-housing barriers positioned between the first enclosure and the second enclosure, wherein the inter-housing barriers surround a segment of each of the bus bars and provide a fluid-tight seal preventing transfer of the first fluid into the second enclosure and the second fluid into the first enclosure. 
   
     
     
         11 . The work vehicle according to  claim 10 , wherein the electric machine is integrated within a transmission housing containing a transmission fluid as the first fluid, and the inverter is housed within a second enclosure containing water as a cooling fluid, wherein the inter-housing barrier provides a sealing interface that prevents the transmission fluid from mixing with the water. 
     
     
         12 . The work vehicle according to  claim 11 , wherein the inter-housing barriers each include a flange that abuts an aperture of the second enclosure and an engagement interface that is inserted into an aperture of the first enclosure. 
     
     
         13 . The work vehicle according to  claim 12 , further comprising first enclosure gaskets positioned between engagement interfaces of the inter-housing barriers and the apertures of the first enclosure, and second enclosure gaskets interposed between each of the flanges of the inter-housing barriers and the apertures of the second enclosure. 
     
     
         14 . The work vehicle according to  claim 13 , wherein the flange is configured to be secured to the first or second enclosure. 
     
     
         15 . The work vehicle according to  claim 14 , wherein the engagement interfaces surround, without contacting, the bus bars and a liquid polymer that is injected inside voids between the engagement interfaces and the bus bars, to allow the bus bars to expand and contract without compromising the fluid-tight seal. 
     
     
         16 . The work vehicle according to  claim 10 , wherein the first enclosure includes a first fluid and the second enclosure includes a second fluid, the first fluid and the second fluid being immiscible. 
     
     
         17 . The work vehicle according to  claim 10 , wherein the inter-housing barriers are constructed from a high-temperature resistant material capable of elastic deformation. 
     
     
         18 . The work vehicle according to  claim 10 , wherein the inter-housing barriers comprise a plurality of plugs each being associated with one of the bus bars, each of the plugs having a stop and a neck, the neck is configured to be inserted into an aperture of either the first or second enclosure, and the stop abuts the first or second enclosure. 
     
     
         19 . The work vehicle according to  claim 18 , further comprising a gasket disposed on the neck, the gasket preventing fluid transfer between the first and second enclosures. 
     
     
         20 . The work vehicle according to  claim 19 , wherein the neck has a frustoconical terminal end that is adapted for insertion into an aperture of the first or second enclosures.